PestCo Pushes Deeper into Arizona with Purchase of University Termite & Pest Control

University Termite & Pest Control, a family-owned pest management company serving residential and commercial customers across Arizona since 1974, has been acquired by PestCo Holdings, a national pest control platform backed by Thompson Street Capital Partners.

University Termite offers pest, termite, and weed control services to residential and commercial accounts across the state of Arizona, including schools, hospitals, food preparation facilities, and other sensitive environments. The company employs an integrated pest management (IPM) approach — a method that uses monitoring, prevention, and targeted treatment to manage pest populations with minimal environmental impact. It is one of three pest control companies with the infrastructure to service all of Arizona.

Rick Rupkey Sr. co-founded the company in Tucson in December 1974, with early roots near the University of Arizona. Ryan Horn and his wife, Krista Horn, purchased the business in 2020 after Mr. Rupkey’s death in 2019. Ryan Horn has worked in the pest management industry since 1996.

“After contemplating for years and speaking to many companies about selling University, we felt the most comfortable with PestCo,” said Ryan and Krista Horn in a releases statement. “The PestCo team is very patient and thorough; we never felt an ounce of pressure. We are very pleased with the decision to work with PestCo and their assurances to take care of our valued employees and customers.”

PestCo was formed in late 2021 by Thompson Street in partnership with industry executive Jay Keating, who serves as CEO, with the explicit purpose of consolidating the fragmented pest control industry. Its first acquisition, Presto Pest Control in Telford, Pennsylvania, closed in November 2021. Since then, PestCo has grown through more than 20 acquisitions across the mid-Atlantic, Pacific Northwest, Midwest, Texas, and Southwest, including Pointe Pest Control, United Pest Solutions, Green Mango Pest Control, Arizona’s Best Choice Pest & Termite Services, and Southwest Exterminating, among others. The University Termite acquisition marks the company’s third entry into Arizona. PestCo is headquartered in St. Louis.“We’re excited to continue our growth in the great state of Arizona,” said Mr. Keating. “The University team brings tremendous commercial expertise in addition to a strong residential program. Our goals remain the same as with any acquisition – earn customer loyalty and create opportunities for our employees.”

The U.S. pest control industry generated approximately $29.7 billion in revenue in 2026, according to IBISWorld, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 3.4% over the prior five years. IBISWorld projects continued growth over the next five years, with demand sustained by a highly fragmented provider landscape — more than 34,000 businesses operate in the sector — that continues to invite consolidation by national platforms.

“Thompson Street is pleased to back PestCo’s continued growth in the Southwest with the acquisition of University Termite & Pest Control, a well-established provider with a strong regional footprint,” said Dan Cooper, a managing director at Thompson Street.

Thompson Street is a St. Louis-based firm that makes equity investments of $50 million to $250 million in companies with EBITDA between $5 million and $50 million. Sectors of interest include healthcare and life science services, software and technology services, business and consumer products and services. Its most recent fund, Thompson Street Capital Partners VI, closed in August 2022 at more than $1.5 billion, exceeding its target. Mr. Cooper led the Thompson Street deal team.